Maverick of Music, Sizzla Kalonji
Musician, Music Producer, Philanthropist, Community Leader, Global Ambassador, and Founder of Sizzla Youth Foundation
Photography by Princess Leah.
Miguel Collins, known by his stage name Sizzla Kalonji or Sizzla, is a prominent and successful contemporary reggae artist.
Sizzla has released over 100 albums to date, with some of the most important being Praise Ye Jah, in 1997 and The Messiah in 2013, which brought Sizzla his first Grammy nomination.
Pitch Maverick of Music, Sizzla, is a music producer, philanthropist, community leader, and global ambassador. He created the Sizzla Youth Foundation, based in August Town, Kingston, to improve Jamaicans’ lives through community projects.
Sizzla, you were born in St. Mary and raised in August Town, Kingston, Jamaica. What were some of the life lessons you learned growing up that you live by today?
Life lessons I’ve learned is that your parents are your foundations, and what they have taught you, you should keep. Your roots are the essential ingredients and building blocks for existence in this time.
Long before and since the release of your debut album, Burning Up, in 1995, on the label RAS, your music has inspired generations worldwide. In your song, Crown on Your Head, from your album, On a High, released in 2021 by Kalonji Music Productions, your lyrics, Believe in Yourself, resonate with me and everyone I’m sure who listens to your music. Who or what inspires your creativity, and what keeps you going?
My creativity is from the Most High because all things are from the Most High, Rastafarhi, and the people also. Seeing the struggles of the people, the persecution from the system, seeing the child in the street hungry, suffering, no home, no shoes, no parents, seeing the single mothers, seeing the struggling fathers trying every day to get a way out of the system, and it seems as if there is no possibility. These are the things that inspires me to write songs to encourage the people to keep going, pushing for what you want.
Sizzla, you speak on kindness, respect, and generosity with others, especially in our communities and wider societies, and created the Sizzla Youth Foundation to encourage mental emancipation, preservation of heritage, and economic freedom for Jamaica’s youth and their communities through education and activism. What motivates you to help others?
It takes a community to grow a child. I have been out there in the world, and people have been sharing their goodness, kindness, love, joy with me, so I think it’s my God-given duty to give back to the community. Seeing the movement of Rastafari to liberate the people. It’s really of paramount importance for me to be a part in giving a helping hand in liberating the nation of people worldwide and to help those I can, in and around my community. These are the things that are really the building blocks for me to do all what I’m doing. I can’t be living for myself. Love is the key. I keep going, doing good for the people because that’s what I know best and what I do best.
The work of the Sizzla Youth Foundation is changing lives for the better in Jamaica. Please tell us about some of the recent projects you have undertaken and upcoming plans.
Creating dreams, building hope, fostering development is the Sizzla Youth Foundation. One of my first initiatives is that we should always give the people knowledge, and wisdom, for them to overstand how to live this life in harmony with the Almighty and nature.
Our community projects and events are for the people. We’ve created many, including the annual August Town Birthday Emancipation Festival, to celebrate and honour our history. I’ve also given scholarships, hosted back-to-school parties for the local and neighbouring communities, and created a space for local music artists to record and compile their albums.
Sizzla, you recently tweeted, “Reparation is a must.”, which I agree with. I think we should set a date for reparations, as it’s long overdue for the generational trauma we are suffering while being oppressed. What is your vision for a better Jamaica and the world after reparations are paid?
Reparations belong to the people. Reparations should go towards educating our people and leading them back to their African roots and culture, developing our countries by setting up new schools, universities, hospitals, and building better infrastructure.
What advice would you give to the youth coming up looking to enter the creative industries, especially the music industry?
My advice to new talent coming up is to learn about your culture, be humble, be strong, and be a leader for the people.
Interview by Sherry Collins.
